Here is a guide to how I fitted up the steel bubbles. This was the first time I did this so I was pretty nervous when I started. Plenty of reading different threads and measuring. Using good quality steel bubbles is the foundation stone. These are UK made bubbles that were used on the original Works Escorts that were prepared at Boreham in the 1970s. They are a heavy grade steel, much thicker than the body of the car so it's easier to blend the heat off them. They also have huge chunks of extra meat for trimming back, so a little bit at a time is the way to go safely. Before I started to fit the front bubbles I cut back the driver and passenger foot wells to allow extra clearance for larger tyres. These were cut and folded back and then re-welded. Easier at this stage than later when the bubbles are fitted.
They have the Swage lines formed into the bubble so its easy to match them to the Swage lines on the car. I trimmed them back quite a bit until I was happy with the fit and for a first timer I was pretty glad of the extra steel just in case I stuffed up.. Once lined up then I screwed a few metal screws into place to hold the position. I then marked around the bubble with a permanent marker. I then removed the Bubble again and marked 1" in from this line. This is the inside line I cut away. That left 1" inside the weld line for strength. On the front bubbles I kept the original bumper hole part of the guard. Some people cut this away but it's better to fit the bubble to this for extra strength as the bubble comes with the bumper hole indention already pressed in the correct spot. I then started to tack the bubble in place.
Make sure also that you clean the area you are going to weld to with a good flapper pad so you get a nice clean weld with no contaminants. Start at the lower left side and do a bit, then move to the right side and do a bit. Keep doing this back and forth to stop the heat building up or you will warp the panels. Be very careful as it doesn't take much to do this.. About 1/2" between the tacks. Do this the whole way around until eventually the whole bubble is welded completely. It takes a long time but it's best to work between 2 at the same time to allow cooling to happen. Remove your metal screws and plug weld the small holes left.
I then started to grind back the welds. I didn't go too hot with the welds so a bit more grinding. Again be very careful with heat build up from the grinding. Alternate back and forth between the 2 again, a few coffees and give the neighbours a rest from the noise. Once it's cooled down go again. Don't worry at this stage about trimming the excess at the bottom or around the lips. This is a final job.
At the rear the same principle applies but a little bit trickier. There are different trains of thought about the rears. Some feel it's best to fit the same as the front with the bubble fitted to the outside of the quarter panel, some reckon it's best to fit inside the quarter panel (underneath). I tried both ways and I don't think it makes any difference. You still need to weld slowly all the way around and bog finish. Like I said the same principle applies. Line the swage lines to the body of the car, trim away slowly at the excess meat, screw the bubble into position, mark outside the trimmed bubble edge with a permanent marker, remove again and then cut 1" below the marked line. Make sure again you remove all paint for a nice clean mig weld. At the rears I didn't tub them as I don't think it's necessary unless you plan to go bigger with a wheel more than 8". I cut the quarter panel away along the inside spot weld join in the middle of the rear wheel well. I then cut below the 1" marked line on the panel itself. This allows the bubble to be fitted the whole way up. I then made a template out of cardboard (well quite a few cardboard templates) and then cut a piece of 0.8mm zincalume to fit between the wheel well cut and the fited bubble. The bubble was then tacked on the inside as well around the infill. Not solid weld here just tacked. It can then be sixaflexed around the inside when you are finished.
Some people just cut straight out from the centre of the wheel well cut to the quarter panel edge which means removing less of the quarter. This leaves an area that can be filled up with expanding foam etc. I decided to allow more clearance and cut it up to 1" of the bubble. I will add at this stage that this job is best done on the rottisorie. It would be a prick of a job to get right without one but maybe some people can. With the grinding again, a little bit at a time back and forth each side, coffee and neighbours etc. (oh and the missus as well) Quite a few trips to the Salvos for cheap mattresses to try to cut the noise down.
Once this has been done the same as the fronts you can then trim away the excess at the bottom of the bubbles and tidy it up. On the front I decided to convert the guards to bolt on using rivnuts so I made a few extra joining plates and fitted them along the door pillars, and front panel both outside where the bucket fits and also along the inside lower panel. I then trimmed the inside lip of the bubbles and gently dollied them back around before finally finishing with sixaflex to stop a build up of water and crap which can cause rust down the track.
I hope this little speel can help someone with what can seem daunting at first. After I had completed it I was pretty chuffed with myself as a first time goer. You can always teach an auld dog new tricks.
